Never a Normal Day
by EbonyBlack28
Summary: The Doctor claims he has a way to save River from the library. With the help of Captain Jack and her one true love, River will go on a journey to save herself from something that hasn't even happened yet. Rating may change in later chapters Disclaimer: I do not, in fact, own Doctor Who
1. Chapter 1

My second anniversary with the Doctor ended like a normal day, but it sure as hell didn't start out as one. The thing about the Doctor is that you can never really have a normal day with him, you had to save one planet or another before you can even go on a date. Normally I loved the Doctor making my life more interesting, but on our anniversary. Sometimes I really hate that man. In the end, the Doctor had taken me out to lunch… on another planet, naturally. Which one, I wasn't sure, but it was beautiful. The streets were made of gold and every store window was a translucent layer of sapphire so every interior had a turquoise hue. He had truly outdone himself. It was just the two of us for once, no Ponds, no Donna, no Weeping angels. No, what we faced before that was even worse.

Even though the setting was marvelous, his entrance into my- our, technically- home was what reminded me why I loved him. I adore the Doctor, but sometimes months go by between his visits, even though he has a time machine. So, I was sitting in my den reading the paper. Then I heard the most beautiful sound in all of the universe- the sound that made my heart melt every time I heard it. The TARDIS. He remembered our anniversary. I couldn't believe it. All of space and time and he comes home for dinner. Or so I thought. He barged in the door without even a warning knock (Not that he really needed to, but it's the polite thing to do)

"Run," said the Doctor as he brushed past me and into the kitchen. I stood in the entry hall dumbfounded. Not even a kiss as a hello. Not even a hello as a hello. Oh, that man. But I ran after him regardless. He was in the mess of a back yard digging up my vegetables.

"Hello, sweetie," I said in my sweetest voice. It did its' job, he looked back at me as if he had just remembered we were married. Maybe we weren't yet, for him.

"I'm home, honey" he said dryly. I looked at my nonexistent watch, wanting to salvage a sliver of normality with our old game.

"And what sort of time do you call this?" I replied, cracking a smile.

"Hard day at the office," He deadpanned, "Aren't wives supposed to have dinner on the table, or something.

Okay, so he knew we were married. This was going to be a good one, "What, you're not going to take me out? Even on our anniversary, you are still dreadful at matrimony." I knew I shouldn't have said it. Leave well enough alone, River, but I simply could not help myself. All of the color drained from his face.

"That's today?" he asked. I nodded, trying not to let my fake smile waver. He began to pace around, smashing my tulips, "I thought I had more time. They warned me not to save the 4th moon of Clum, but did I listen. No, I had to rescue the stupid satellite from a deadly asteroid and lead my wife to her deathbed simultaneously. Stupid Doctor!"

I wanted to ask what the hell was going on, but I knew better to interrupt him while he was ranting. It did no good to remind him of the countless lives he's saved when another was on the line because of him. This one must be especially hard because it was, well, it was me. River Song. Melody Pond. Heroic Wife of the Doctor. What point was he at, I wondered? Did he know I was Melody? Did he know that I was released for his murder months before this moment? It was so hard to sync our journals with us always having to hide, and fight and run at every turn. The trials of being a time traveler's wife. But I wasn't a woe-me type of girl.

I walked over to the man I loved and embraced him. It did the trick, he immediately stopped lecturing himself about god knows what, and hugged me back, he grabbed me tight, as if it would be the last time it ever happened. Maybe it would.

"I've missed you, River," I wanted to say the exactly same thing, except with my lips. But I held back. One unplanned kiss could destroy our fragile time crossed love. So I hit him instead.

"Gone for months without a word," I said as he cradled his reddening cheek, "No phone call, no letter. I don't ask for much Doctor. All I need to know is that you are alive wherever you are. But you don't even give me that, honestly, sometimes I wonder why I even put up with you,"

"River, I-" he began. But I wouldn't let him get that far. The only way I survived this marriage was not letting him know how much he hurts me, and the best way to do that is to not let him close enough.

"Stop, Doctor," I said, harsher than I'd meant to, "What kind of trouble have you got for me this time?" He looked at me guiltily. Okay, exactly the wrong thing to say.

He backed away from me. Second guessing his instincts. "Maybe I shouldn't have come," he said, "This is a mistake. I have to go."

I grabbed his arm. Not willing to let another inch of space between us, "Oh no you don't. You are not going to come here with a massive problem just to leave with a wave of self-doubt."

"River, you don't understand," I put my finger to his lips and gave him my best spoilers look.

"Now, where are we going, sweetie?" I looked at him expectantly, hoping he couldn't see through my ruse. Honestly, we could go back to the Byzantium, all I wanted was to spend more time with him.

"We," he began carefully, "Are going to a library.


	2. Chapter 2

**And we're back for chapter two! Sorry, this one's short but I'm the author so I can do whatever I want. Enjoy :) **

"Doctor," I said, matching his careful tone, "I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about.

"No," the Doctor replied, mostly to himself, "You wouldn't." he turned away from me ran a hand through the mop he calls hair and, "Hasn't happened to you yet. But it has for me."

"What has?" I asked impatiently. He turned back and looked me right in the eye. I try to ignore it, but I can see the unmistakable glint of fear in his eyes. And not the kind of adrenaline enducing fear he enjoys, like when his own life is only in a moderate amount of danger. But the fear he reserves for when someone he loves is in danger. Amy, Donna… me.

"River," he begins gently, then thinks better of it and returns to his normal tone, "Oh, River. Why can't I ever lie to you? No matter how horrible the truth is, I can never hide it. Why?"

"Do not try and change the subject, dear. You know me better than that," I try and add a fierce edge to my tone, but I only succeed in making him laugh.

"I suppose you're right, River," he looks me straight in the eye again, this time there is no amusement or fear. Only dead seriousness, "I'm going to be honest with you because I have no idea how long we have to be completely honest with each other. The reason I need to go to the library, the reason I need you…"

He pauses just long enough for me to consider hundreds of scenarios, each more gruesome than the last.

"… Is because you're going to die."

**What will happen now, I wonder. I really appreciate the reviews. See you in chapter 3 (should be up next week or so)**


	3. Chapter 3

So now we're in the TARDIS, and I'm trying to comprehend everything he's saying. Me, dead? But his part of the story has just begun. I've just started to wrap my head around it when he begins to confuse me again.

"Well, not dead, exactly. Just not…alive. Well, not not-alive. Just not alive in this world. Well not not-alive in this world, more like your mind and personality were saved to a computer- which is technically in this world- and I can't access it and get you out. Not because I don't have the ability to, I mean you've met me, but because it would change our entire history. But now… now, River. Now I know how to save you."

"How?" I asked skeptically. Even though he's giving me far too much knowledge than is good for me, I can't resist. He's going to tell me…

"Spoilers."

Nice move, Doctor. Giving me just enough information to get me on board, but not enough to give me a good reason to shut it down. He's learned much from me.

"All right, I'm in. But after we're done you are going to take me out on an anniversary dinner," I tack on, for good measure.

"Deal," he says. Then, instead of a conventional handshake, he kisses me on the cheek. I counter with a kiss on the lips, changing history be damned. He kisses me back. I can taste that he thinks this may be the last time and that he wants to hold onto me.

"Normally you have to pay for this kind of entertainment, you know," comes a voice behind me. I turn around and jump from shock. Standing not ten feet from me is a tall, raven haired, man, clad only in a towel that leaves little up to the imagination. I look him up and down, and cannot help but be impressed. Not my type, but attractive nonetheless.

"Hello, Benjamin," I say slowly. He approaches me and reaches for my hand. I give it to him willingly; he kisses it quickly then releases it.

"Captain Jack Harkness and you are?" he said. Slow, seductive, sensual. _You are married River, but that does not mean you cannot have a little fun._

"River Song: Professor of archeology, former prisoner, and wife of the Doctor."

"We have no records of the Doctor being married." He said suspiciously.

"Check your records again," I replied.

"Jack, stop flirting with my wife!" The Doctor snaps. I can almost hear Rory saying, _welcome to my world, Mate. _

"Come on, Doctor, let the woman have a little fun. It can't be easy being your wife," Jack sulked.

"He keeps me on a very tight leash during the day, Captain. But at night, he's the one tied up," I can feels the heat resonating off the Doctor's face.

"Doctor, how did you ever manage to find such a woman? And more importantly, how can I get her?"

"Jack, there is a time and a place, and this is most definitely not it," The Doctor said.

I walked over to Captain Jack and place my hand on his bicep. Looks more impressive than it feels, "Oh sweetie, being home alone for months can make a girl very, very lonely."

I had a feeling Captain Jack had never met a girl he couldn't fluster. Captain Jack, meet River Song. I would love to make these men even more uncomfortable, but the time for silly games was over.

"Captain Jack, Doctor. I am a very impatient woman, and if I do not get some answers in the next thirty seconds, I am going to take my fancy vortex manipulator and go find men I can control better," I said.

"I love a woman who knows what she wants," Said Jack. But the Doctor only looks angry at me for my sudden change of mood. Understandable, but I have no sympathy after the personal hell I've had to endure because of him.

"Dammit, River, can't you just trust me for once?" He asked.

I consider this for a moment. No, honestly, I can't. I trust no one. Especially not myself, not since I almost killed him years before.

"Trust is not one of my strong suits, Doctor. I need information."

"You know as well as I do that too much fore-knowledge will get us all killed. I've trusted you in the past, now it's your turn."

"Oh, when?" I asked accusingly.

And suddenly, it's as if Jack isn't even here.

Doctor: Millions of times.

Me: Name one

Doctor: I can name plenty.

Me: Not as many as I can.

Doctor: Try me.

Me: Marrying you.

Doctor: When you saw me die.

Me: When we went to the Byzantium.

Doctor: That does not count!

Me: Why?

Doctor: Because you needed me to save your life.

Me: I trusted you nonetheless.

Doctor: Demon's Run.

Me: Berlin.

Doctor: I don't recall.

Me: Spoilers

Doctor: Looking forward to it.

"For the love of god, just make out all ready!" Jack interjected. This time, I blush with the Doctor. I stand corrected; Jack can fluster me if he puts his mind to it

"Okay, so we've proven we can trust each other. You need to trust me, River. Your life depends on it." For some reason, this shakes me. My life has rested in the Doctor's hands more times than I can count and vice versa, but he already knows I'm dead. This wasn't a rescue mission, this was a resurrection. But what if future me doesn't want to be resurrected? I knew all about saving personalities to a computer, I've read enough about it. Those who are "saved" build lives for themselves. What if my computer life is perfect? What if I'm married with children? But what if I'm without the Doctor. I couldn't imagine myself living without him, but what if he finally does something unforgivable. The Doctor's right. Foreknowledge is bad. Even this little bit is tearing me apart. I tell all of this to the Doctor, but he only looks confused.

"But what if we don't save me and the only reason saved me stayed sane was because she knew past me was coming to save her, because future me had already done it. What if I do something incredibly stupid because I know you're not coming for me?" I'm rambling, and I know it. I'm even starting to confuse Jack, who is obviously a seasoned time agent.

"River," Jack began, "I can understand why you're worried, but I checked all of the Doctor's plans. He's crossed his t's and dotted his i's."

"He doesn't know what I'll want then," I complained.

"But he knows what you want now, and he knows that will never change. He loves you, River. He loves you enough to call me, the one man who knows as much about time travel as he does and is, frankly, much better looking. Things must be bad for him before he'll call the only man who might have a chance with you. All to save your life. How can you say no?"

Jack's right. I know he's right. The Doctor wouldn't try this unless he was sure we wouldn't rip a hole in the space-time continuum. What more could a girl ask for?

Chapter 3

The Doctor began typing coordinates into the TARDIS. I try and take over the controls. But the Doctor goves me one of those don't-you-dare looks, so I sulk over to a chair. It's been ages since I've travled in the TARDIS and have not played any part in piloting it. Jack, howver, is manning the zig-zag plotter. I feel a pang of jealousy. I'm being petty, but I don't care. I'm his wife. I'm a child of the damned thing. And Jack gets to pilot it!

Of course, I realize the paradox we are about to create.


	4. Chapter 4

"You're insane," I said as he finished explaining the plan to me, "Absolutely bonkers."

"It will work, River," He assured me.

"It's completely impossible," I insisted, "Even if the logistics are correct, which I still doubt they are, it will be too complicated staying out of the way of past you and future me."

He walked over to me and grabbed my face, pulling my lips mere centimeters from his, "River," he caressed, "Trust me." And that's all it takes to make my heart melt. At the end of the day, I will go along with anything the Doctor says. He's proved himself right too many times to doubt him. I give him a quick kiss on the lips.

"You better be sure about this, sweetie," I said, "Because one wrong move and our entire lives are rewritten."

"There's the River I know and love," He said, his voice returning to its normal, childish tone. He lets go of me and returns to the TARDIS console where Jack has been watching our encounter, "Jack, I'm going to need your help navigating. Sexy doesn't want to go back to the Library, too many crossed time streams, but I've heard about some paradox stabilizing equipment you have."

"You've heard correctly, Doctor," said Jack as he pulled out a small device, not unlike my vortex manipulator. Upon later scrutiny, I discover it is a modified vortex manipulator.

"Where did you get that?" I asked.

"They give them to all the time agents. Where did you get yours?" He replied.

"I didn't steal it, if that's what you want to know." I said, "I bought from someone else who stole it."

"Feisty," Jack commented, "I like that in a woman."

"Jack!" The Doctor snaps, "The stabilizers!"

Jack returned to his side of the console and attached the vortex manipulator onto the blue stabilizers. I don't even pretend to know what they're doing and begin talking to the TARDIS.

Being a child of the TARDIS has left me with the ability to have a sort of telepathic communication. She doesn't talk to me, per se, but I'm able to sense what she wants and how she feels about certain situations.

"How're you feeling, girl?" I ask. She whirs softly as a reply. _This will never work, _she seems to say, "I know, dear," I replied, "But you know the Doctor, always trying to save everyone."

_He's lost more than you know, Melody._

"And he'll lose more in the future, trust me. He needs to realize that some people can't be saved."

_But some can. Sometimes, everyone lives._

"But I can't shake the feeling that this isn't one of those times."

"Hey," comes Jack's voice, "While talking to yourself is all kinds of kinky, we could use your help up here!"

"Lord, grant me the patience not to throw these two into a super nova," I said. The TARDIS makes a noise that I can call a laugh.

"Okay," said the Doctor, "We're trying to park now, the stabilizers are maintaining the paradox, but it's hard. We're going to need to get in and get out quickly. The longer we're in there, the more likely it is that we'll run into… ourselves.

"Not to mention the Vashta Nerada," Jack commented.

"The Vashta what?" I asked, thoroughly confused.

"Oh, nothing to worry about," the Doctor replied, "Just shadows that will strip the skin off of your bones."

"Oh, is that all?" I deadpanned.

"Don't worry, River," The Doctor said, "They should be focused on other me and other you. We'll be perfectly safe."

The Doctor returned to the other side of the console to fiddle with some switches. I lean over towards Jack and lower my voice enough so the Doctor won't hear.

"That's Timelord code for extreme danger, you know," I said.

"Trust me," Jack replied "I know."

"You've traveled with him before, haven't you? Before my time?"

"And after."

I look down at my shoes sadly, wondering just how much time we had left, "I'm sorry," he said, "That was insensitive."

"No," I replied, "It's nice people telling me the truth."

"You both have your secrets to keep."

"Yep," I laughed dryly, "That's the problem with time crossed lovers; we always meet in the wrong order."

"Well, maybe he'll buy you some more time," Jack suggested.

"But that's all it is, buying time," I replied, "Our marriage is a time bomb, certain to erupt at any moment. I have no idea where he is, but I've traveled for years with that man."

"He doesn't know yet," Jack said. I give him a quizzical look before he continued, "That Amy and Rory get taken by the angels. That hasn't happened to him yet."

"How do you…" I stuttered.

"Torchwood. We have the Doctor's complete history."

"So how much time does he have left with my parents?"

"From what I can tell, he's just come back from the Dalek Asylum."

"Ah, I see now."

"What do you see?" he asked.

"Mum and Dad were going to get a divorce. Marriage reminds him of me, as do marital problems. It left him lonely and a little bit nostalgic."

"He's trying to save your life, River," Jack said, "He loves you and he wants you to be okay."

"I know, Captain," I said, looking at my Doctor, "But sometimes what's dead should stay dead."


	5. Chapter 5

**So here's a quick chapter from the Doctor's point of view**

**Per the usual, I don't own Doctor Who (yet)**

"_He's trying to save your life, River. He loves you and he wants you to be okay."_

"_I know, Captain. But sometimes what's dead should stay dead."_

_What's dead should stay dead, _the words haunted him. Is that what River wants? To be done with him? To leave this universe that's so full of pain and suffering to a world where she can be happy? He thought that she would want to live, but maybe that wasn't the case at all. Maybe he should've just left well enough alone and lived his life with River the way it was supposed to be, with a beginning and an end. Of course, it wasn't in that order but they made it work. The Doctor had known from the start the way things with River would turn out. He knew he would fall in love her and he knew she was going to die for him. Die for him, like everyone else does.

Knowing exactly what would happen made things with River so easy. It took away the uncertainty that had been present in all of his other relationships. But he also knew they were doomed from the start. River had seen him die, but she also knew he had lived. The Doctor had to accept the fact that she dies in the library in front of him. It was so much easier back then, when he didn't love her. He knew they had a future, but he was still a bit hung up on Rose. There's another time crossed love. He still loved Rose, but not in a romantic way. Rose was the love of his past regenerations life. New personality, new feelings, new love.

Thinking back on it, he hadn't fallen in love with River in the library, or on the Byzantium. No, he had fallen in love with her when she was in the exploding TARDIS. She was only there because the Doctor had told her to go and she was in a loop of dying. He fell in love with her the moment she said 'what kind of time do you call this?' He even loved her after she had destroyed his fez. And he only grew to love her more. Even though she was infuriating at times, River was the only one who truly understood him. Jack did to some degree, but only River knew what it was like to change faces and personalities. She was half Timelord and the perfect companion to the lonely full-Timelord.

She always came when she was needed and never hesitated to kill for those she loves. The Doctor hated killing everything and would avoid it unless absolutely necessary. River, on the other hand, would stop at nothing to save the Doctor, or Rory, or Amy. She didn't even blame him for taking her away from her parents, even though it was entirely the Doctor's fault. If he hadn't been a part of Amy's life, she would've been raised in Leadworth with kind parents. It would have been a good life, if a little bit boring.

But River Song was anything but boring. She was the woman who could fly the TARDIS just as well as he could. She stared down angels. She made Daleks beg for mercy. She was River Song, the love of his life. His brilliant wife. And he would save her even if it killed him.

**Sorry about the long rant with no dialogue. I just wanted to write from the Doctor's perspective a little. I love the reviews, keep them coming!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Time for Chapter 6. I don't own Doctor Who and I hope you enjoy**

"You seem a bit off, dear," I said as I laid a hand on his back and rubbed softly. I felt him shudder beneath my fingers. He lowered his head, and I swore I heard a faint sniffle as if he was crying. I looked around to see where Jack was. Seeing as he was out of the console room, I turned the Doctor around and pulled him into a hug, "There, there, love. It's all okay."

He gripped me tight; tighter than I thought was possible. He smashed his head into my shoulder and openly wept. It was a rare thing for the Doctor to cry and an even rarer thing for him so show it. I gripped him just as tight. I felt tears well up in my own eyes. We had both seen horrors. He lost Rose and Donna and… Me. I'd seen my parents die and I killed him. Our lives were horrible, but they were all we had.

He was all I had. Because I knew, however bad things got, we'd always find each other. It was never in the right order, but we always found each other. I let my tears fall silently. I couldn't let him see the damage. He had lost too much to have to worry about me as well.

His body stopped quaking and he lifted his head up so we could look into each other's eyes. The pain was still there, but there was also an undeniable love. He loved me. Sometimes I doubted it, but he truly loved me as much as I loved him.

As if he could read my thoughts, The Doctor hesitantly pull me closer until our lips touched softly. It was almost as if we weren't touching at all. Then he pressed forward and I wrapped my arms around his waist.

He pushed me hard against the TARDIS console and entwined my tongue with his. His hands tangled in my curly hair. I wanted him right here and right now, but with Jack wondering around somewhere it would be impossible. It's not like we've never done _that _before, but I wanted to take the time to do it right. And I couldn't do that with the threat of someone walking in on us.

So I let him kiss me deeply and I kissed him deeply in return. It wasn't very often that the Doctor showed this much affection towards me. He was honestly somewhat of a prude. In our relationship, it was always me that initiated the kissing. It was rather nice that he took charge for a while.

"Doctor!" came a voice from the outside the console room.

The Doctor jumped away from me with a look of severe embarrassment. I fell unceremoniously onto the floor. I gave him my best glare. but he responded with an apologetic look of his own. Oh, I could just slap that man sometimes

"Yes, Jack?" said the Doctor. His voice came out squeaky and embarrassed. Jack would surely know were had been up to something.

"Can you out the invisibility setting on? My senses read you and Donna are going to be coming this way sometime before leave."

"Um, yeah. Sure thing." He looked at the TARDIS. The invisibility controls were where we had just been snogging and I was sitting right underneath them. The Doctor gave me a hand up and then flipped the switch.

"We're all set, Jack," I said, then to the Doctor, "And I forgive you for dropping me."

The Doctor stammered out a reply before I pressed my lips softly to his one more time, "Come on, love," I said, "we don't have all day."

"R-right," he stuttered, leaving the console room to find Jack.

I grabbed his arms and pulled him back, "You have a little…" I said as I wiped some lipstick from his mouth.

"Thanks," he squeaked.

"Anytime, sweetie," I said as we made our way to where Jack was to do our final checks before entering the library

**Okay, so that's not how I thought that chapter was going to go. I liked it, regardless. Let me know if you did too!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Yes, it's another short angsty one. **

"You heard us talking, didn't you?" Jack asked. River was freshening up with some hallucinogenic lipstick before we entered the library, giving The Doctor and Jack a chance to talk privately.

"Huh?" the Doctor asked as he ran his screwdriver along the Paradox Stabilizer.

"You heard her say that she should stay dead," Jack repeated.

The Doctor paused with his back turned towards Jack. He hadn't wanted Jack to know just how much River's words had hurt him, but it seemed like there was no avoiding the conversation, "Yes," whispered the Doctor, "I heard you."

"Eavesdropping is really rude, you know," said Jack, trying to put a light spin on a dark topic.

The Doctor looked a bit flustered, "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop, I cross my hearts! I only heard the end anyways, about her wanting to… stay dead."

"If it's any consolation," Jack began, "I don't think she meant it."

"How do you mean?" asked the Doctor.

"I mean," said Jack, "That I don't think it's as much her wanting to be dead as she doesn't want you to be hurt. She knows how you always blame yourself when someone dies. People die, Doctor. It's just something you have to learn to accept."

"No, Jack," The Doctor said, "Everyone dies except me, because I'm the winner."

"I haven't died yet."

"You die constantly."

"But thanks to Rose, I always come back to life."

"How is what I'm doing any different from what Rose did?"

"It isn't," said Jack sadly, "That doesn't make it right. Do you not think there are days when I wish I could die? I feel the same way you do, Doctor. Whenever I lose someone I care about I want nothing more than to be mortal. But you know what? I don't get that. I'm as immortal as you are. The only difference is that I keep the same face."

"You're not married, Jack."

"No," he conceded, "But I've been in love. And I've lost that love."

"She's all I've got" Said the Doctor simply, "I have to try"

"I know," said Jack, "But don't try too hard. Sometimes the universe does things and you don't know why. It'll all work out some way, Doc."

"I'm not used to you being so profound, Jack," the Doctor laughed humorlessly, "It's a side of you that I might need more often."

"Yeah, well," replied Jack, slightly embarrassed, "Don't get too used to it."

"All right, mate," He chuckled, "Come on, I think I hear River coming up. Say something Captain Jack-y."

As if on cue, River came up wearing her hallucinogenic lipstick (the Doctor would have to remember not to kiss her.) and a jumper that made her arse look _fantastic_. Jack seemed to notice too; by the way his legs crossed over his… areas.

"So, I ended up in bed with both my executioners," said Jack, "Lovely couple. They still keep in touch."

"Ah, Jack," said the Doctor, "Always the flirt aren't you?"

"Guilty," replied Jack.

"You boys," said River, knowing good and well the effect she had over them, "Are we going to go or not?"

"Right," said the Doctor, retrieving his screwdriver from his pocket. He looped his arm through River's before saying, "Shall we?"

**Okay, I swear this is the last angsty piece for a while. I'll get back to the plot next chapter. And I'm sorry it's so short. And I'm sorry for the random 3****rd**** person narration.**


End file.
